The Dress
by OneShotGoddess
Summary: "Sophia I will love you no matter what you choose," Damian whispers in my ear "I just wish you'd learn to love yourself as well." I feel his lips on my skin before he's at the door "I'll wait for you down stairs." Story rewrite. One Shot.


Batman one shot. Enjoy. (I only own what's mine)

(Sophia's POV)

"I'm not afraid Damian," I snap, my anger getting the best of me again. I expected him to lash out at me, my temper fueling his more often than not but he doesn't, he just stands there, staring at me calmly, like a parent looking down at their child with a lost expression, or a person looking at a wounded animal.

"I never said you were" he states, once again calmly, like showing any ounce of anger in his voice would push me over the edge and I'd leave this party before we showed up.

I was surprised, usually Damian hated these things, opting to cover patrol hours while the party was going and showing up for a few photos at the end so he could technically say he was there. Again, like dealing with a wounded animal Damian kept his distance, only moving to place the object of my trouble on the door before stepping back. He sighs slowly, running a hand down his face. Whether that was from the few hours of sleep he got last night, scarecrow was at it again and with his minions caused hell on earth until batman finally took him done. The usual four hours of sleep were cut to one and a half before Damian was up once more, helping me out of my brace and doing my morning stretches.

"I'm not going to stand here and say I understand what you went through, I may have an idea as I to share my own pain with a dark past and abusive parents but I don't know what you went through. I've talked with Jayson about this many times and even I don't fully understand the wrath of the Joker but he's not here Sophia, he's dead. And he's not coming back." he steps forwards, gently gripping my arms, his hands folding over mine

"I'm not afraid Damian," I state, ignoring the truth staring me in the face and look back at the mirror, my hands covering my exposed shoulders "I'm broken,"

They were scarred. An ever-present reminder of my time to the Joker. They littered down my whole body. The others didn't mind. Each member of the bat family was covered in a scar… or twenty. Even more, if you counted Damian and Jayson but the two birds were a bit more rambunctious and less cautious about their bodies. Throwing themselves in the line of fine to get closer and deliver the finishing kill. There had been a few times Jayson and Damian had crossed the line, earning tension from Bruce and an awkward three weeks of silence but they tried abiding by his rules and more time than not took a bad guy down with less force than they wanted or had deserved.

"You've never cared what they had to say before, why are you letting it get to you now. They have no idea the hell you've been through! Even I don't understand the hell that called himself the Joker and I'm the grandson of the demon!"

I turn away from him, not wanting to look it talk to him when he was like this. Damian tried to be respectful, he tried to give me space. Walking up early every morning to help me with my mandatory stretches, placing and removing my brace and holding me close during my nightmares. He had given me more than I could ever ask for but he wasn't like me. Damian was taught to love him scars, to not see them as imperfections but as a testimony of the struggles he'd endured and more importantly, beaten. He couldn't understand the fear the Joker installed along with the scars, Damian's scars were inflected during training, to make him stronger, mine were inflicted for the joy of violence, for the pleasure. He wanted me to be strong like I was with him, but the Strength wasn't mine, it was his and I couldn't help but benefit from it.

"It's not that simple Damian." I sigh, hugging my body tightly.

"Then put on that dress and show the world the beautiful, strong and amazing girl I fell in love with." My eyes snapped up at him, Love? That was the first time he'd said that out loud "Or," Damian continues not letting me process what was just spoken "you can stay with your other dress and hide from the world because of your too scared of what others might say."

The party was in full swing downstairs. I'd often don a lacy dress that covered my scars, form fitting and acceptable for the occasion but it seemed to bug Damian. The grandson of the Demon never understood the shame I had for my scars. Damian was taught to rule humanity and hadn't spent much time on it even under the tutelage of Bruce. His body was littered with scars and would often make me forget mine as he placed burning kisses down each one. His talented fingers tracing the curves of my body like he was memorizing every inch. Holding me with such care like he was losing me in the morning. Even though he wore his scars with pride, his body was covered up. The mini Bruce was donning an expensive tailor-made suit, only the finest for the Wayne's and I was stuck looking between two dresses hanging on the wall. My original one, a Versace evening gown, and the one that Damian had ordered and hung beside it. It was beautiful, a Gucci cocktail dress that was red and lacy but exposed my arms, back and legs. The lace ran through the middle of the dress and down to the left hip, exposing just enough skin to prove that Damien had indeed picked it.

I stood there in a mini robe, the black silk stopping at my mid-thigh and slippers on my feet. It seemed silly as the room was carpeted with red soft fabric but it felt better this way. I could feel Damian's eye burning into my body, his hand runs down my arm, the warm flesh calming my nerves. He steps forward, pulling me to his firm chest and whispers in my ear.

"Sophia, I will love you no matter what you choose, nothing in the world could ever change that... I just wish you would learn to love yourself as well." I step forwards, hugging myself again as I looked down at the floor. Damian seeing, he wasn't getting anywhere else stands, hand on the door. He looks at me one last time before opening it "… I'll wait for you downstairs."

With that, he shuts the door. I stop, staring at the two dresses and fiddle with my mother's necklace, the last thing I had of her and wonder what to do.

(Damian's POV)

I sighed, shutting the door after I look at Sophia. She stood there, drowning in the doubts of her own mind but I had to leave, before I said something stupid and two, because I couldn't do anything more for her. I realized over the years that I've been holding Sophia up more than I should have. When we were little it was okay, Sophia was a torture victim, a survivor of the Jokers wrath and needed someone strong to hold her up after she lost her body, her freedom and her mother, the only piece of her life she had left. But I would stay, some nights, after I slipped out the window to head off into the night, or that's what she would think but I'd stay, watching her complete collapse the moment I was gone.

I loved Sophia, more than I would ever admit. Half in fear that that love could and would be used against me like my mother had with my father, using me as a bargaining chip that ultimately failed. And half in fear that she might leave. After all Sophia and I were from two separate worlds, mine filled with darkness and hers filled with light, now broken in places but still white. I stay awake at nights, wondering when and how my world might destroy hers like my fathers had destroyed everyone else's but each night she came back, looking me in the eyes with that determined look in her eyes and she tells me over and over that she's not going anywhere. But my fears are ever present and in those fears, I've realized that I've hurt her yet again, I've made her completely dependent on me. If Grandfather were still here he would have beat me for such stupidity.

It had been a few months after she got out of the hospital, after a two year stay she was finally allowed to leave, I was very surprised that Dick hadn't caved someone's head in as like we'd feared the paparazzi was on us like blood hounds the moment we got to the door, wanting to get the exclusive story about the herald angel that survived the Jokers wrath. Jayson actually did, flipping one of the photographers over his shoulder and to the ground, the older Robin had no problem with the negative press as he dislocated the man's arm with a sickening snap and a sinister smile. Needless to say, paparazzi left us alone after that and after a few hours in the slammer Jayson arrived back home on Bruce's bail and a restraining order from the photographer.

Sophia had hardly said a word, watching the scenes play out like a movie she wasn't in and after Alfred settled her into her bed with a bell and a Tv remote in hand left Sophia to her thoughts. The old butler obliged but still kept an ear out for any trouble, often turning his head up to the stairs and casually 'forgetting' something upstairs. The first few months were hell, Sophia would be up every three hours, screaming bloody murder in her sleep as nightmares of that night plagued her dreams. The hospital had briefed us on her siltation as every shift someone would come running but even now it made no signs of slowing. Bruce had brought in a therapist, one sworn to secrecy that would come to the house twice a day and try to sort through Sophia's shattered mind. Bruce had all but banned us from the room, saying Sophia needed to get through this on her own time and we could go if she asked for our company. Sophia in her endless hours in that room often sought Jayson's company or more the gun wielding robin barged into her room until Alfred kicked him out. Bruce was weary of this of course; the ex-robin wasn't the easiest to be around. His violent tendencies and his crass way of talking were a lot but surprisingly Sophia started asking for his company when Bruce finally forced him out of the house a few weeks later. He even managed to bring laughter back to the broken brunette… but even Jayson couldn't stop the nightmares. He often stepped in first, sleeping beside Sophia's bedside when he could, slipping through the window at night after our shifts so Alfred could get some sleep.

Bruce wanted Sophia to heal, everyone did but even I could see that wasn't what she needed. I had a feeling something else would work but I knew Bruce would never let me do it. Even if I could convince my father by some slim chance Jayson would never let me near her but as my eyes snapped open once more, the blood curdling screams of Sophia ripped through the night I couldn't stand it anymore.

 _(Flash back)_

 _"_ _Jayson!" Sophia screams, sitting up as the hot-headed gunslinger slumps onto the bed, stopping mid-sentence._

 _Sophia sits up, holding her body on her one good arm but collapses a moment after, her muscle mass still wasn't what it used to be. Expecting a fight to break out, only Jayson and Sophia were in the house, or so she thought._

 _"_ _I'm sorry Jayson," I state, sliding down the rope from the ceiling before landing on the bed, I lazily toss the dart gun across the room and it hits the floor with a bang, making Sophia jump._

 _"_ _Damian! Damn it!" Jayson tries, pulling himself from the bed, pulling the dart from his neck only to collapse to the floor a few centimeters in front of me._

 _"_ _Jayson!" Sophia yells again, trying and failing to move from her position on the bed._

 _"_ _Don't bother fighting it Jayson, even with your high tolerance to toxins this is a special mixture made from the league of Assassins. You can't beat it."_

 _I state, watching him pull himself up and take a step back as he swings his arms at me, ducking once and smacking a gun out of his hand, twisting his wrist to make him drop it or suffer a broken hand. I had to give Jayson credit, he was fighting like hell not to give into the sedative, if I wasn't here on a mission I would have given up right then and there but I couldn't. Sophia Gasps, leaning over the side of the bed as Jayson finally collapses, reaching his limit and slumping to the floor in an unsettling way before the room goes quiet. Sophia's eyes fall on me, her face clearly scared as she assessed the situation._

 _"_ _Damian…" Sophia says quietly "Damian!" she yells as I walk over, stepping over Jayson and make my way onto the bed, my hands wrapping around her throat._

 _Sophia squeaks, grabbing my hands with laughable strength, her one good hand gently moving my fingers before they were back in place, her other hand was useless, still wrapped in a brace. I push my thumb over the center of her throat, and wrap my other hand over it._

 _"_ _Gwack!" Sophia chocks out, smacking my body as her eyes dart around the room._

 _"_ _Look at me!" I growl, tightening my grip to bring her eyes to me._

 _I release the grip slightly, letting her cough out, her eyes looking at me with shock and utter confusion._

 _"_ _Do you fear me?" Sophia only sat there, gasping in and out with my hands on her throat "Answer me Sophia, do you fear me?"_

 _"_ _No." she finally pants out "I don't."_

 _her face had calmed down, her look now challenging mine. I glare at her, tightening my grip once more, the shock was there but the pathetic sounds were gone._

 _"_ _And yet you still fear him, the Joker!" I growl tightening my grip more and watch as her face turns a shade of red_ _"_ _He's not here Sophia,_ _ **he can't hurt you, I CAN**_ _!"_

 _I release the grip once more, letting her cough and suck in a breath of air._

 _"_ _And yet you won't," Sophia coughs out, looking at me with tears streaming down her face._

 _"_ _You fear a shadow, a memory and not me, the guy with his hands around your throat" I growl chocking her once more, pushing down harder than I had the first time "you let him win! You are still letting him win!" Then in the midst of the fear something in her eyes changed, something softened and made my hands release her "I'm going to ask you one more time," I bend down, leaning close in her ear so she would hear me over her coughing "Do you_ _ **fear**_ _me?"_

 _"_ _No,"_

 _I looked down at her, her broken body and tear stained face, even in the midst of death she was honest, a part of her trusting me more than she ever should have. And finally release her, leaning forwards to place my forehead on hers before I roll over beside her._

 _"_ _Why?" I chuckle, looking at her again "I'm probably the worst thing you could ever trust. You don't fear me yet you fear a ghost, I don't understand how your head works."_

 _"_ _Because you're not as bad as you let on." Sophia whispers, rubbing her neck gently._

 _"_ _You're delusional."_

 _"_ _Am I?" She whispers back "Or was it Jayson that stayed by my bedside for almost a month when I first went to the hospital." I stop, looking at her looking at the ceiling "You push everyone away because you feel like they could never love you the way you are but your wrong. You don't attack people because you're a monster, you do it because you're hurt."_

 _"_ _You think I'm hurting?" I chuckle but stop when she turns to glare at me._

 _"_ _Not all wounds can be seen from the outside Damian." She whispers "You have as many scars on the inside as I do on the outside." I snort "You laugh yet you know it's true! If you're so bad then why did you save me? Why are you doing this?"_

 _"_ _Call it annoyance." I snap back "I get very little sleep at night and your pestering is less than pleasing to listen too. I have the power to fix your problem and in turn fix mine. It's really quiet simple."_

 _"_ _I know you care about me. And anyone that can care for another is capable of being saved."_

 _I wanted to laugh at her words but nothing came out. For the first time in a while someone had hit the target right on the mark and I found myself oddly intrigued. Turning to look at the girl I once saw as a nuisance with different eyes._

 _Here laid a girl probably braver than even I as she looked, calm and composed into the eyes of the dragon. I couldn't stop my body, my hand from moving. My fingers slowly slid down her frame, a shiver racked down her body at this and her eyes fell on me as I pulled back, fully taking her in. Her bravery in the face of danger, her trusting eyes that shouldn't have encouraged me._

 _"_ _Joker hurt you in such a crude and clumsy way. Inflicting pain for ones pleasure, grandfather hated people like that. If it were me I wouldn't have done it with so much emotion involved." I state, running a hand down her neck again and down further over her chest "Depending on how it's done it can actually be quite… pleasurable." My eyes snap back up to Sophia's, taking her in with such intensity that she would know everything I was planning to do "I can erase it for you. All the pain, all the bad memories, I can give you something stronger to hold onto but you have to want this, I will not force anything on you." My eyes harden "Do you want to be free?"_

 _Sophia looked at me, weighing her option carefully as she took in my words, and finally, after a few moments of silence, shuts her eyes._

 _"_ _Yes."_

 _That night Sophia gave her innocence, her soul and true to my word I had given her something stronger than the fear, I'd given her me. A reason to live, something to hold onto, something that understood the darkness that she was drowning in. Jayson was less than pleased when he came to, Bruce, to save my life and prevent a full out war in his house had banned me from the manner, sending me to live with Dick for three months but it worked._

 _Sophia's nightmares had finally stopped._

 _(End of flashback.)_

I paused by the door for a moment, clearing my head for a brief moment and make sure Sophia wouldn't need me to come back or collapse on the ground under all the stress. I wanted her to make her own decision, in all honesty I didn't care what dress she chose, each one was stunning and fit her perfectly like any custom-made dress would but the meaning behind the second was more important. It may be small but this was the first step in a long plan of giving Sophia back her independence as a survivor of the joker and as a woman…

(Bruce's POV)

I stood downstairs at the party, a drink in my hand and my eyes gently surveying the scene. The party had been for victims of the Jokers violence. The countless people he's hurt over the years, gathered together to share their pain and hopefully move on from this. That in itself was a long shot, the Joker while dead had tainted us all with one last act of cruelty, he had gotten the last laugh. Music played softly in the air as a few people cried, some hugging people, others hugging photographs of lost love ones. The large statue, make for the victims had been revealed, an angel standing tall over the world, a baby in one hand and a chain in the other. Many people had already come to it, kissing the feet of the angel, whispering words of love to lost love ones, asking this angel to look after them before moving away, falling into the arms of another as more tears came. I didn't want to do this but Commissioner Gordon said it would help the world move on, I saw it as a threat, a target for criminal scum to trash but thankfully the death of the Joker had rocked the underworld as well, it had been three weeks and not one criminal had reared their ugly heads for trouble. While many had been hurt by the Jokers hand, few lived to tell the tale.

I kept an awfully close eye on the resident trouble maker, Jayson. My wayward son had finally agreed to a party, arriving for a fitting at the tailors and showing up at the party with a not completely sour face. He'd done pretty well, dancing with a few women… and flirting of course. All in all, he seemed to be enjoying his time.

I scanned around the room and picked out each of my sons from the crowd. Tim was Dancing with Cassie. Dick was dancing with Kori. Jayson was spiking his drink and almost the punch when Alfred steps in, sweeping up the container and placing it in a secure pocket in his jacket. Barba was talking with her father about something, laughing out good memories.

And my youngest, I glanced around the room searching for my blood born son and his fiancé. The only daughter of Selena Kyle and my one love, Cat Woman. The whole incident had been my fault, Joker knew we were an item, hitting both the streets and the sheets more than a few times. I knew Selena had a daughter around Damien's age and I stupidly ignored the fact like nothing would happen. Sophia wasn't mine but that didn't stop Joker from trying to lure me out. It worked of course and when we got there, Selena was gone and Sophia was on death's door.

Sophia had been hurt the most, tortured for days at the hands of that psycho. Tortured because she could be mine. That was the sickest part of all, Sophia wasn't mine, she never was. It was around the same time yes, Selena and I were a thing yes but she wasn't mine.

Many people knew about it, her torture, the death of her mother, her hospital stay, the miracle survival, and of course, her adoption. Anyone in the Wayne family was famous, my money and power made sure of that, but even under the pressures of the world Sophia was often hidden away, guarded by an over protective Damien and Jayson and chose more time than not to stay home from things like this. The press wanted to know what happened that night, what it was like to be at the mercy of the Joker and I had to intervene more than once before Damian could cave someone's head in. The press was a little more cautious now, only quietly asking for a story when Sophia appeared but were immediately gone when Damian walked up behind her.

Despite his desire to save her Damian kept his distance at first. I wasn't sure if that was from fear of scaring her, out of respect for my wishes or the fact that he simply didn't know what to do with the female now living with us. Jayson, being a victim of the Jokers wrath took to the female instantly, alarmingly quickly as he all but forced his way into her life and took the role of guardian over the broken female. We all did our best to help Sophia, each bring some part of her back to life but it was Damian that finally freed her from her hell -a fact that still royally burns Jayson- but after five years he finally gave them his blessing. Well his blessing with a not so subtle promise to murder Damian if he ever hurt Sophia, over the seven years she's been with us Jayson became her unofficial father figure for Sophia.

My youngest son was fiercely over-protective, which made sense as he was the one to save her. I'd never seen my son so worked up, the amount of emotion he had shown blew me out of the water. He stood by her beside for hours, drenched in her blood. Waiting for the doctor to return from the operating room and after that by her bedside, inside ICU, like if he left for a moment she'd stop breathing. Finally, after forty-eight hours and two trips back to the operating room Dick was able to get Damian home to shower, eat and head back to the hospital to sleep by her side. The security team wasn't pleased about it but after a subtle warning on my side about Robin putting them in the ICU they let him be, walking by the room a few more times than needed but left him to his peace. Damian stayed in that room for three months, not leaving until they moved her out of ICU and even then, it was eating, sleeping and training at home before he went back as Damian Wayne. I'm pretty sure the head nurse has figured out our secret identities as her smile grows exponentially every time Sophia goes back for checkups but the older lady has yet to say anything which only seems to worry me more.

For all my fears, I've found great peace in their relationship, Sophia's nightmares are few to none, they hardly fight and it seems Damian's blood lust has diminished greatly in his practice to act civil around Sophia. Dick had voice his concerns to me on a few of our outs, Damian was in the hospital with Sophia, my oldest son was concerned with the level of attachment Damian was showing and the fact that Sophia's mother was Cat Woman, a notorious villain and how that could reverse all the hard work we put into Damian. I understood his concern, my son's past was pretty dark, being the grandson of the demon and all but Sophia had shown no signs of being a villain and it wasn't like Damian's were that clean either. I asked Dick to trust in both Damien and Sophia like I would and after a few days of thought he seemed to relent.

I finally found my youngest son walking down the hall, I'd had a few hopeful fans ask about him already. Their eyes wide with… well, hope as they all but fought over each other to get a glimpse of him. This action never failed to amuse me as Damian and Sophia's engagement was public news yet woman still threw themselves at him feet like he'd take them on as a second-hand mistress. A wasted effort as I've never seen Damian show any interest in anyone, man or woman before Sophia and if it wasn't for the cameras I'm sure Damian would have flat out shot them down. I ask my sons to indulge the fans in the public but even he won't go over five minutes of idle chit chat before he's hunting for his fiancé.

My nerves rose slightly when I noticed Sophia, the lady of the hour wasn't with him. My mind instantly went to the worst possible scenario as I silently feared the safety of my future daughter in law but after noticing no blood of signs of a struggle I calm myself, letting Damian walk down the hall, his eyes surveying the crowd like I had before, snorting once as they landed on Jayson and a frisky blonde before rising to meet mine. His feet come to a stop beside me, hands folded behind his back in case someone decided to snap a secret photo and waits for me to speak. A calm mask on his face but a serious look in his eyes, a sure sign that they had gotten into some sort of disagreement.

"Did you two get in a fight?" I ask, wanting to calm my mind and hopefully solve a problem.

Damian lets out a small sigh, another sign of a problem

"Not a fight exactly, more like a disagreement." Damian states after a moment, he had briefed me on the plan before hand, hoping I could refine any problems. As if reading my mind Damian adds with a snort "The room is fine and so is Sophia."

A momentary smile on his lips before its gone

"Physically right?" I state, folding my hands on the top of the railing.

"I don't understand why she'd doing this now," he says with a small head shake

"It could be the stress of the event; many people here don't want to believe it's over. Hell, even I don't and I was there..." I state, placing a smile on my face as I easily grasps two glasses of champagne with ease and hand one to me "Drink?"

He eyes up the drink questionably, snorting once more like he wasn't a twenty-year-old engaged man and this was some taboo thing to do. Well maybe it was for me as our night life made little time for drinking but Damian took the drink no less.

"This won't be easy Damian you know that," I say softly, taking a sip of the champagne "but I agree with you, this is the right thing to do."

Damian had little time to answer before five high pitched squeals rip through the air, Damian's painful groan followed. He eyed me for help as the rich daughters of my business partners all but ran up the stairs to see us. I smirk once, hell bent of ignoring that silent plea for help as I take another sip of my drink and walk down the step to mingle in the party below. I could literally FEEL the heat of Damian's death glare on my back but his voice follows after as he effortlessly puts on the Wayne family charm. Thankfully Damian doesn't suffer long as Dick, seeing his struggle calls my youngest son down the stairs to talk. Damian all but ran down the stairs as his rich groupies followed, trying to get as much time to the handsome multi-billionaire before Sophia arrived.

Seeing that everything was in order I turn my attention to the room. Watching over everything and making sure people had enough food and drinks. I was conversing with the waiters and kitchen staff when the room falls silent. Strikingly silent like a small child chocking on a grape or someone freezing as they witness a murder and fearing just that, one of my sons, the most challenging ones, Damian and Jayson, were currently caving someone's head in -A clingy daughter or rude and entitled son of a wealthy businessman, spun around with such fury I almost sent myself to the floor. Thankfully I didn't, saving myself the embarrassment from the public and my family of crime fighting heroes, seriously, they would have never let me live it down... and find myself running out of time to think about that possible mistake as I find my eyes drawn to the source of the silence.

Sophia.

Sophia stood at the top of the stairs in all of her glory, shining brightly like a star. Honestly the scene looked like it was out of a movie, all eyes on Cinderella, the beautiful mysterious princess arriving late to the ball. This scene wasn't to shocking, as Sophia herself was quite a stunner. Taking after her mother, long toned legs that seemed to run for miles. A tight toned stomach and smaller arms and a larger chest that often-had Barbra complaining about on missions. The only differences being her hair, Selena's was black and smooth by Sophia's was light brown and wavy, often pulled into a ponytail at home. All in all, Damian was quite lucky, even for all her troubles, her scars, her nightmares, her fiery temper that could put do even Damian's and her broken body Sophia was a beautiful and often brought the best out in my son. So, her beauty, her past and being public engaged to my son meant Sophia was in the spotlight often enough, this wasn't shocking but her state of dress had my eyes. A sight so rare even I, Bruce Wayne, couldn't tear my eyes away.

Sophia always shying away from others, throwing on a sweater or a scarf before leaving the house or lounging at the pool hiding her scars in shame. Even with the encouragement of the others Sophia couldn't bring herself to shed more than shirt, sitting there nervously in a tank top as she fought with herself to cover up, now stood at the top of the stairs. Proudly showing off her body to the world. The crowd was stunned, taking in Sophia's scared but beautiful body that was easily exposed in a dress that Damian had no doubt picked out. The vibrant red was an eye catcher, the low and downright scandalous cut and the lacy material running through the center had my sons name practically inscribed on it. The only one not star struck by this beauty was Damian, surprised and downright shocked but still conscious enough to move as he slips through the crowds, placing his hands up to his fiancé with the first genuine smile I've seen all month. His pride taking over his normally stoic demur as he all but runs up the stairs to meet her.

(Damian's POV)

 _Her breathe beside me was slow, calm and relaxed as my fingers brushed over her shoulders, down her spine and over the curve of her ass. The smooth flesh was obstructed from my view but my fingers easily glided across the firm muscle. Sophia was sleeping, her right arm wrapped in a thick brace that wrapped over her shoulder and ribs, the smooth material covering her arm and wrapping around her wrist. The brace was lined with metal bars, pushing the weight of her body off of her shoulder as she slept on her side, the other hand was wrapped under the pillow, her fingers wrapped around the firm object as she slept. My eyes roamed down her frame, over her long legs covered by the sheets, down her toned stomach, tight and smooth from hours of work, up over the brace and finally to her face. The skin smooth as she slept peacefully, but I knew when I left that peaceful expression would change. Plagued by bad memories of that night._

She sleeps a little better knowing that the Jokers gone, we all do. He died the night Bruce and Jayson had their fight, dying in the explosion with a homicidal laugh on his lips. It was his final act of destruction, it was a sad day for us all. The end of two centuries of conflict, Bruce locked himself away for three days, the batman accepting his greatest enemy was vanquished and the small boy accepting the fact that he could save Jack Napier from himself. It was my father's greatest weakness, the one kink in his armor of fear. The need to save someone, he had saved himself as batman and saved us as the arsenal of robins but it always stopped him. Stopped him at the last moment before he took that step, if he killed joker than he was killing the little boy inside him, that was the one thing Jayson never understood. The joker had killed Jayson but he also killed the child he once was, my mother had killed me, but the others, the others still had their souls and that, was why they would never kill. No matter what happened Bruce could never let go of the kid he was, it was the last connection to his parents. The whole world seemed to stop, like time itself couldn't believe the Joker was really gone. I remember that night, when father and I finally found them.

There was so much blood, it was practically gushing into the floor, a large gaping hole where her shoulder once was, the bones snapped open and the tendons chopped and ripped out while a pair of bloody hedge sheers laid discarded beside the chair. She'd been barely breathy… I was so scared she was alive I just froze, waiting by her bedside for any sign that this was a dream.

And again, just like that day I fought the urge to pinch myself. There stood Sophia, in all her glory finally opening up to the world. Showing them the strong woman I'd fallen in love with. I had entered Sophia's room that night, expecting to save her life but really, she'd saved mine. She'd made me become something better than what I used to be. What my grandfather wanted me to be. The grandson of the Demon. Only she could see me for what I was, wade through the darkness of my soul and find the small broken boy underneath. She had found the real me, a broken girl and a broken boy, lost in a world hell bent on destroying them. Even with the looming threat of my mother hanging over our head and all my father's enemies she wouldn't waver.

A fact she'd proven the night my mother came to visit, slipping through the houses defenses with the grace that only she could manage and confronted Sophia while the rest of us were chasing around her distractions throughout Gotham. Even with a gun to her head Sophia held firm, the same fire in her eyes the night I tried to kill her. Calling my mother out on her flaws as a person and her failure as a mother, stating that she might have given birth to me but she was never my mother. That I wasn't some weapon to be used or a thing to be sold or bargained away. I was my own person and that no matter what, even with her death Talia would never have me again. Because I belonged to her, to Sophia and nothing would ever change that, not even death.

(Bruce's POV)

After a moment, I felt myself blink, snapping back into the present and watched, still star struck. Sophia, a small smile was on her lips as she made her way down the large staircase, taking Damian's hand and let herself be lead onto the dance floor. The music started again but the crowd was frozen, Sophia sensing this freezes, looking around with a painful face. I understood Damian's actions and his intentions were pure but people weren't that easily changed. The scars on her arms, shoulders, and back were deep. The Joker had done a massive amount of damage and even with years of physio and surgeries, her body wasn't the same. The look broke my heart and I moved, going to step in and say something when Damian steps backwards, surprising me for the second time.

Damian, stepped back, removing his jacket and using his hands rips his dress shirt open with ease, muscles bulging and uncurling with years of training. A few gasps echoed around the room and the sounds of fans opening took the spotlight as woman of all ages took in the sight and tried not to squirm. I think if he had noticed Damian would have blushed, while courageous Damian was never one to put on a show but my son's eyes weren't on me or the crowd but on her, Sophia, whose mouth was slightly ajar in shock. But soon they were all blushing when he smirks, sliding the ruined material off his body in a down right erotic way that made Sophia squirm. Then like a Spanish bull fight he tosses the material over his shoulder and into the crowd, once again extending his hand to his Fiancé with a smile. But they had little time to move as like opening a flood gate the others stepped forwards, shedding their jackets with ease before the sound of ripping material took the spotlight once more. All my sons proudly showing off their scars, their flaws for the world to see.

And soon the expensive jackets and ruined shirts were discarded into a pile on the other side of the room. Sophia was no bent over in laughter, taking in the scene with teary eyes and a smile on her face, she takes Damian's hand allowing herself to be pulled into a waltz but she blows kisses to the others as a silent thankyou under the music. For the first time in forever I felt myself smiling as well, to see all their faces so happy and care free broke through the wall of darkness shielding over my heart and brought a chuckle to my lips as even surrounded by the highest of class they found a way to shed away the layers of tension. I had no doubt Jayson would be giddy over this for quite some time.

"You should be proud of him Master Bruce," I feel a hand on my arm and turn to see my old butler standing beside me, a proud smile on his features "This is the first time I've seen Damien do something out of love."

"Yeah but now I'm going to have Social Services up my ass for weeks," I place a hand on my head "God if people don't figure out our secret they'll think I'm abusing them or something."

Alfred chuckles once at my misery before leaving, placing a hand on my shoulder before he goes.

"Be happy Bruce," he says with a cheery smile "at least they aren't killing someone one."


End file.
